Messenger
by apollo3
Summary: A ferret sets out to fight his arch enemy and warn Redwall of the coming danger. i wanna know how i'm doing *Chapter six extended*
1. Default Chapter

1  
  
The peace and tranquility of a semi-arid forest. The birds ongoing with their never-ending song, the stream rambled lost until it found the sea. But behind the shrubbery the evil-intentioned one, the stain upon the concord. The threat to beasts everywhere could never be more unknown.  
  
Damoros Vortigern sipped wine from a chalice and turned away from the charred attempt that was once a grouse and barked in his bass voice. "Kyloc, you imbecile!"  
  
The weasel called Kyloc jumped behind a log dodging a hurled wooden bowl. The pine marten was the highest commander of the fifteen score horde and sparingly went into battle, but when he did, he combined his chosen weapon with an array of strategy. His lifestyle was obvious due to the untouched green robes he wore. He was the final descendent of a royalty in the north. They had claimed a kingdom and ruled the barren lands. An army- leading polecat named Malkaris exiled them from their kingdom. After many seasons, the battle-hardened royalty: he, his father and a brother set out to find a new kingdom, his brother to the north and his father to the west. Nevertheless, that was all when Vortigern was young.  
  
He went over the battle plans he had drawn the night before. If he could travel higher north, he would not the victim of merciless and raging insects. Then he saw the map stolen from an aged and helpless mousemaid traveler.  
  
"Ah, north, country of the abbey: a fine fortress and easy target." He smirked. After he had failed to capture the stronghold in the east, he was looking for an easy objective.  
  
Cleavo watched the horde's leader close the door of his tent. Ravenous after smelling the wasted roast, he took off into the trees with out heed for brambles or thorns. He just charged barrel-chested through the thick, later coming back with another grouse cadaver. There were no signs of struggle on his mottled fur.  
  
He began his own fire with the large double-bladed ax that furnished him his title: Cleavo. Cleavo did not trust anything of wood quality, it snapped too easily. With him, everything was metallic. He wore a chain mail shirt, his famed ax was chiseled entirely of iron, and the blades were as wide as his chest. Within minutes, he had his meal alone. He was as feared as the leader himself for his unforgiving and murderous atmosphere. Only one had ever escaped him: a young ferret. Cleavo killed his parents and only he remained.  
  
Cleavo had never known what species he was. His parents had been captured and taken aboard a searat vessel before he was born. The ship overturned while moored and his parents, along with everyone else aboard, were killed. He however survived with no memory of his parents except their fates and felt no sentiment for them.  
  
As he warily cooked his grouse, an ill-fated rat, which the horde referred to as Burntail, caught a whiff of the captain's captivating gorge.  
  
He strolled over to the high official and sat down as to block the sight of his find from the others crowding around the fire.  
  
He tried to sound as cheerful and casual as possible. "' Ey, you got a big roast there. You know---." Cleavo immediately knew what he had to do. Swiftly, he grabbed his ax, hewed Burntail, and threw the corpse into the bush, silently.  
  
Rune woke with a start. He had dreamt again, this time of red stones and ramparts. Some one was speaking but he could not remember a word. The night was waning. Groggily he forced himself to continue north. Soon, the leafy blanket of Mhandalar cast intricate patterns of morning light on his meager tunic. He was ravaged by the traveler's life. His fur encrusted with mud and the dreads on his head in disarray. Mhandalar wasn't the most favorable place for goodbeasts to live. The vast expanse had an infamous history as the origin of many hordes and conflicts.  
  
The trees were mostly oaks thanks to the temperate climate. He saw a column of smoke in the distance and soon there wafted a sour stench of an endeavored roast.  
  
The ferret quickened his pace. If he stayed in one place the following enemy, his following enemy, would surely kill him.  
  
Rune and Cleavo had met long ago. Rune's mother had come from a long line of pacifists. His father carelessly left to join a horde after Rune was born. Rune lived with his mother in a secluded wood. That was until Cleavo came. He and his regiment ravaged the home and speared Rune's mother. It brought him back the memory of coming home from a search for firewood to hear the sounds of tussle and of Cleavo emerging leaving behind the growing flames.  
  
Rune had run. His only possessions his mother's medallion and the staff she had given him which for long had served importance to him as it saved her life. The medallion no bigger than his paw, was a faultless purple within and was encased in amber.  
  
However, there was one fault. The medallion had once been part of a set. He had lost the other one. Nearby, a blueberry bush ended up Rune's lunch. He continued at a fast pace until the ferret could no longer hear the shouts and cavorting of his enemy.  
  
Over hills and wood he trekked never looking back. When night came, it was hard to find edibles. He did not risk a fire for his enemy would see any light it shed. He found some roots and chewed them. He couldn't live like this for much longer, barely satisfying himself. He sighed; at least Cleavo wouldn't kill him. He suddenly felt a great abhorrence to the mottled beast that had taken the lives of his parents. "I will avenge them. That murderer won't see me give up. Will he?"  
  
He awoke to a silky, blue, cloudless sky. He sat and was shocked to smell smoke in the air. He followed the smell, staff in hand, and came upon a smoldering fire. A twig snapped behind him and he turned around just as a beast burst out of the brush and pressed him to the ground and held two blades to his throat. 


	2. Chapter Two

2  
  
"AHHH-mumpf!"  
  
The evidently young badger pressed a paw to Rune's mouth. He pointed at a hardly seen banner with Vortigern's seal on it: five daggers sharing one pommel stone to form a star. When it passed the badger spoke.  
  
"Vermin! I should slay you now!" he growled as he raised his menacing blades. Rune could think of no alternative. He threw down his possessions.  
  
"Mercy! Spare me!"  
  
The badger was aptly clothed for the climate: trousers and a thick vest.  
  
"Why should I, vermin? You'll just slip a dagger in my back!"  
  
Rune was in panic. "Eh, uh, tie me up! I won't escape, if I do then feel free to slay me!"  
  
The badger paused in thought. "Hold still."  
  
Rune cringed. The badger picked him up and tied him to a willow with one of the trees own branches, making sure his arms were safely forced across is chest.  
  
"Tight enough?" the badger asked as he stood back admiring his work.  
  
"Yee-esss" Rune said, winded.  
  
The badger then strode over Rune's possessions and stopped.  
  
"That medal," he said in awe. He quickly went over with his blades and slashed the branch binding Rune.  
  
"I apologize," he said solemnly.  
  
This bemused Rune. "Er," He gulped, "Why?"  
  
"Come with me, um?"  
  
"Rune."  
  
The badger hurried off into the forest still holding Rune's medallion. Rune, after picking up his staff, soon came upon a large tall wagon with a post at each corner, which supported a flat wooden slate roof. The badger came out with a small lead chest. He opened it and showed Rune the content. Displayed on parchment was a picture of a crest with a noticeably large seam running through it.  
  
The badger explained excitedly, "In my…tribe, a prophet we met gave this to me and told me to never part with it. The prophet said this crest marked the one destined to lead me to the fire mountain." Rune was still very bemused; he still did not know who the badger was. He had only known of them from stories his mother would tell him. They were described as brave, valiant warriors who served justice and in fact, he had saved her from the pressuring of a local horde.  
  
"But you only have half a crest, where is the other?"  
  
Rune snapped out of his deep thoughts and remembered sheepishly the whereabouts of the other half.  
  
"Um, I don't have it, but I know who does."  
  
"Who?"  
  
"My only enemy. A horde member with a giant ax."  
  
The badger sighed. "How did he attain it?"  
  
"He stole it from m-, er, my mother."  
  
"Where is she now?"  
  
"Cleavo… he killed her."  
  
The badger made no response. "Hm-mm, then we shall relieve him of his plunder."  
  
Rune tried to back out. "Look, um, sir, I don't know of any fire mountain. I've been a forester all my life. I've never even seen a mountain before."  
  
"Do you want me to find the other half of that medallion for you or not?"  
  
Rune felt rather persuaded by the badger's tone. "Y-y-yes."  
  
"Well then you'll have to help me." 


	3. Chapter Three

3  
  
  
  
Raflag was Cleavo's most trusted comrade. He was the only current member of Cleavo's dissident operation. He, like Cleavo, wore steel to his teeth. He had a pair of many-layered gauntlets that made its way up to his elbow; no knife could penetrate it. On his head, he wore a hand fashioned helmet, which protected the back, and sides of his neck and which fastened just below his chin. Because armor limited movement, he preferred mail, which covered him from shoulders down and was insulated by canvas. On his lizard- hide belt, a small ax, and two identical daggers and in his paw he held a pole with a large curving barbed hook on the end.  
  
On the tip of his canine was a metal cap melded with the enamel.  
  
"Sir, 'ave the rips in yer mail been repaired 'ffectively?"  
  
Raflag's pride and joy was his skill with making mail or mesh of metal.  
  
"If they weren't, you'd have known it a long time ago!" Cleavo snapped.  
  
"'Es, sir," Raflag said clutching his neck nervously.  
  
"Well then, Raflag, gather a party, while you were gone I fell upon some prey."  
  
  
  
Moments later, they came hobbling back with three hares. Two, rather old and one adolescent. Most of the party were hobbling because the young 'un was swinging his mother's double bladed pike. They had quickly disarmed the amateur warrior and manacled him.  
  
"Good, good, we'll keep them as hostages," Vortigern responded.  
  
"What for?" Cleavo had his own agenda.  
  
"Haven't you heard? We're going to conquer the abbey. It's two seasons north but it is in a prime location."  
  
"Yes, sir," Cleavo gritted through his teeth. "Shall I confine the prisoners?"  
  
"See that you do. Moreover, pack up. We're leaving now."  
  
  
  
"How can I help you?"  
  
"You can help me by not talking."  
  
Rune acknowledged this by nodding. They were stealing up on the enemy encampment. The badger, who introduced himself as Darab, had brought his weapon: two, thick, curving blades. However, they did not have the standard sword hilt. Instead, both ends of the blade connected to the ends of an 'L shaped' piece of wood.  
  
Rune peered through the undergrowth. It was obvious that most of the rats hadn't seen battle in many a season. There were scuffles and games of chance. Some were on their backs dozing. Then Rune looked where most of the activity was taking place. Several rats were taking rope and timber and fashioning a cell. Off to the side were three hares, bound, guarded and gagged and being manacled.  
  
"Okay, which one has the other half of the crest?" Darab asked.  
  
"The big one, standing off to the side."  
  
"He looks almost as large as me!"  
  
"I know. I think I should warn you, he's a captain, he has the option of sending a platoon at us."  
  
"O, I'd like to free those prisoners." Rune said desirably.  
  
"You will, after they lax their guards."  
  
"When will?"  
  
"Tomorrow. I think I know a way to get those chains off. Ba-Shhh."  
  
Rune could barely hear the ramblings. He was several dozen paces into the woods before he saw them: three scouts. "Come on let's go t' the boss. Think he'll give us a nightmare 'cuz we couldn't find erselves anyding?"  
  
"He'll give ya yer wurst dreams. Hey, di' yew hear that?"  
  
Darab singled Rune to follow. He moved into a site to the left of the scouts. Then he pointed at the rats. He jumped from the leaves and knocked one rat silly with the handle of his blade. Rune, unknown to battle, went at a rat with a spear crazily swinging his staff like a bat.  
  
As the rat fell, stiff as a board, Rune spied a stoat running back the way that he had come. He threw his staff like a spear. It turned in mid-air and landed sideways less than halfway to the rat. Darab came up behind him and threw a large stone. The stoat fell instantly.  
  
"Let's go break camp and leave. There's no need for killing here."  
  
Rune obeyed. Soon, he was concealing remnants of a campfire as the badger prepared the cart.  
  
"There!" he said patting down the wet sand and soil. "Who will we move the cart?"  
  
The badger stretched his arms. "I will. Will you walk?"  
  
Rune didn't know how to answer. "I guess I will."  
  
The badger lifted the cart off its brake with obvious ease and began walking. A cloud born above began to scatter its drizzles upon the woodland.  
  
After mid-morning, Rune's stomach churned and he realized he had not eaten breakfast.  
  
"I see you're hungry. I have some rations in the cart."  
  
Rune had to find several handholds before he could enter the cart. The internal of the cart seemed cavernous. In the corner, four huge barrels. A length of cabinets and cupboards dominated one side of the wagon. The badger walked to a cupboard and withdrew a single loaf of bread, which appeared to be able to last one more day before it ruined. Rune leaned his staff against a cabinet.  
  
"I'll have to bake more tonight when the rain stops," he said as he broke the bread. He then picked up a corked flagon of squeezed fruit and tossed it to Rune who accepted it heartily.  
  
Midway through the afternoon the rain turned to mist and disappeared.  
  
Darab retrieved some of the dry firewood he had kept under the shelter of the cart and set up a campfire.  
  
"Light a fire, would you? The flint is in that cabinet and there should be a blade on the one next to it."  
  
Rune found flint in the cabinet was plentiful. He opened the next cabinet and was astonished by the array of blades there; there were daggers, rapiers, and swords. He took one of the older looking daggers and put it to flint on the firewood. Rune hadn't seen much fire starting in his lifetime and had to try several times before a flame began and he stepped back.  
  
Darab took three metal posts and embedded them in the ground around the wood. He ventured inside the wagon, took out a large flat metal sheet, and placed it securely on the posts to heat. Then he took a bowl and the last of flour and sugar and began mixing a batter with a wooden spoon  
  
"That bread'll be done a few hours," said the badger after he poured the batter on the sheet. He began to hone his blades. He gave an annoyed sigh, walked to the end of the wagon and opened a trapdoor. Holding his blades close he plunged into the square void.  
  
Clang! Clang! Clangg-ggg-gggg!  
  
The last note caused Rune to jump. He lied down in front of the hole and peeked through ready to face whatever was emitting the pounding notes. There in the shallow chamber Darab, ducking his head, welded a giant hammer and was suppressing a chip in his blade on a miniature anvil. He flinched at the sight of Rune and his paw strayed toward his blade all in a split second.  
  
"Sorry. Habit. It's what you get from being a loner."  
  
"I know the feeling."  
  
The chamber was extremely compressed and it was obvious that it had been hastily affixed to the cart. In the corner, a full crate of coal and several bellows rested unused.  
  
"So this is how you're gonna free the prisoners."  
  
"Yep." 


	4. Chapter Four

4  
  
Gurse, the guard stationed to oversee the captives leaned casually against the cage and seemed to be half asleep. The twilight was all too tempting. A stealthy paw crawled pass the bars of the cage toward a dagger. Instantly the dagger was unsheathed and was brought into the ground. It would have lanced the young hare's paw had it not been retracted.  
  
"Herh! Trying t' scape are ya?" said Gurse, wide-awake as he sheathed the dagger.  
  
One of the older hares awoke. "Nevinal Framptell Peltinop! Are you trying to lose a paw? You know we don't have the supplies to treat it."  
  
"Sorry, mum. He looked asleep t' me. I probably would've gotten him anyway if you didn't wake up.  
  
Tehlan smiled. "I'm not as young as I used to be. I can't sleep the blinkin' day away."  
  
Tehlan, Nevin's mother, was worried. Her spouse hadn't woken for almost two days but he was still breathing.  
  
Cosleck, a captain who, like Cleavo, had his own regiment, claimed the giant leaf-bladed pike as his own.  
  
"If only I had any blade. That knot right there holds this whole side of the cell together. But they tied that thing up tight."  
  
"That's why I was trying to get the dagger!"  
  
A sharp poke in his back interrupted.  
  
"Shaddap!" Gurse said as he put a small tree limb between the bars.  
  
  
  
Two acquaintances crowded around a campfire in the gray of morning, attempting to toast bread.  
  
"So where are you headed?" Darab asked.  
  
"I don't know." Rune said despairingly. "I'm guessing I won't be welcome at the fire mountain, eh?"  
  
"Alas, no. But maybe I can help you get in."  
  
"No, you needn't toil to get me in. I'll live a loner an' die one."  
  
Darab stood up. "Hear me now, I've never met a ferret who wasn't trying to rob and kill me. You won't die with out avenging your mother, you won't die without two halves of a medallion and you won't die without a friend at your side." He said ardently. Then, in a more friendly tone he said, "We're in this for the long run. You can come wit me or we can part ways and we'll never succeed." He offered his hand over the fire. Rune shook it.  
  
The subject matter was dropped immediately.  
  
"So, didn't you say we were gonna free some prisoners today."  
  
"Yeah," he replied nonchalantly. "Can you fire an arrow?"  
  
"A what?" Rune added a touch of humor.  
  
"I'll assume no?"  
  
Rune shook his head.  
  
Darab retrieved a bow and a quiver from the wagon.  
  
"Let's go."  
  
Minutes later, they were advancing the familiar terrain. Rune was enlightened with Darab's simple plan: Take out all the guards and cut through the primary ropes binding the cage. Darab left his blades behind as they clattered incessantly so Rune had been given a two daggers and the job of cutting the prisoners free.  
  
"Been a long time since I've done this." He pulled out and arrow and strung it. He pulled back the bowstring a considerable length, took aim and after and interminable moment, fired. The arrow flew off an angle from the string and flew off to the right. It caused quite a ruckus as it landed in the cauldron of stew being served for breakfast for the horde.  
  
Darab turned around. "I think it's time we leeeaaave!!" He began running. Rune followed.  
  
  
  
A warm flagon of stew all but carefully was passed between the bars of the cage to Tehlan. Nevin released the beetle he was playing with.  
  
"Come on pa, wakeup. Food."  
  
Mr. Peltinop did not move. He remained slumped over in the corner. Nevin employed the technique his mother had taught him: feeling for a pulse.  
  
"Ma!" he yelled, distressed. "Pa..he..isn't…"  
  
"I know."  
  
The very thought froze in Nevin's throat. He brought his paws up and breathed on them. Suddenly he felt cold. The tears welled up in Nevin's eyes.  
  
Suddenly, he broke loose and muted his sobs into his paws. Tehlan looked to the breeze. It partially dried her tears.  
  
Cleavo tapped his fingers together ponderously thinking about his main priority: his enemy. He was still alive. He who forced his brother into the marsh. His brother! His partner and undeviating companion, gone! Sucked into the mire faster than fish can scatter. With that moment, his dream was torn from him. His dream of ruling a fortress, commanding a horde. He would need to command a horde before he ruled any fortress.  
  
But the only horde around was Vortigern's. It was no use trying to fight them directly. This plan must be passive. He would be demanding. Assassination by poison was ruled out as Vortigern's chalice never left his paw and only his lowest ranking officers refilled it. That way his captains wouldn't become ambitious. He was clever; if he was killed then the horde shall be left in disarray. He purposefully created hostile rivalries. The captains would wage war against each other and some will indefinitely be killed. The rest of the horde would leave and scatter in that precious moment. That's why Vortigern never had a second-in-command. Then his main concern was to eliminate the captains.  
  
Darab was lounging on his back, his arms tucked beneath his head.  
  
"Where do we go from here? We can't free the prisoners the way I shoot. Are you sure you can't fire an arrow?"  
  
"I could try, I guess," Rune said shrugging his shoulders.  
  
"Here then." Darab tossed him the bow and the quiver. "Be careful with those they're my last ones."  
  
Rune strung the bowstring though the narrow groove on the end of the arrow.  
  
"Like this, right?"  
  
Darab nodded. "Aim for that bush there."  
  
Rune trained the arrow tip on the bush and fired. The arrow flew through the bush with a rustle. Darab sat up blinking in incredulity. He pointed at another bush.  
  
"Try that one."  
  
Rune fired again. The arrow zipped though the bush in the same matter as the previous shaft. A loud yelp was heard. Darab quickly stood and inspected the vicinity.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"I don't know. Now let's free some prisoners." 


	5. Chapter Five

5  
  
It was Cosleck's turn to stand guard with the prisoners. He was accompanied by two other weasels, which leaned sleepily on their spear butts. In the dead dry night a figure skulked, waiting.  
  
Cosleck twirled the enormous battle pike as best he could, slashing unseen foes.  
  
At each end of it were blades wider than a beast's head sporting three long prongs. The lethal weapon was a dull gray with no sheen so it appeared invisible to the ebony forest. The discernible sound of a blade being scraping past bone pulled him from his fantasies. One of his company had just fallen to the ground clutching his abdomen. The remaining weasel stared at the darkness agonized that he was next. He wasn't wrong to worry for in a second he curved his back and fell on his side.  
  
Cosleck slowed his breathing and tried to pinpoint the silent assassin but it or they, had seemed to disappear.  
  
"Now you're sure you can hit a moving target?"  
  
Darab was looking over his shoulder at Rune who was trailing behind with the bow. Now the badger had been given the job of freeing the prisoners.  
  
Rune felt strangely empowered. "How could hitting a rat be different than hitting a tree? They're not much smarter. Heheheh."  
  
Darab chuckled. Rune had just insulted his own kind. Though he understood this, chains inside him restrained his thoughts.  
  
They came upon the familiar site. Excluding the large wooden cell, the limited but unbroken land was deserted.  
  
" Hey! What's that over there?"  
  
Rune fixed an arrow to the bow lest the object was hostile. Darab stealthily sidestepped over and scrutinized the dark shape.  
  
" He's dead. Stab wound. While ago, too. Is that another one, over there? "  
  
Rune still had the arrow readied on the bowstring. His fingers were beginning to perspire from the tension.  
  
Flit!  
  
The arrow flew into the darkness with a fleshy whoosh. The wind parted some willow branches revealing that the arrow's destination was the other spear weasel.  
  
" Whoops, sorry. At least we know he's dead."  
  
Darab drew a small dagger from his belt. " Let's free those prisoners," he said dutifully. A thin hare's face was pressed against the bars.  
  
"If you would be so kind, could you cut through that knot there? It's a load bearer. Whose your accomplice, sir?"  
  
Darab began chopping the ropes. "He helps me, I help him."  
  
"Helping what?"  
  
Nevin fought his way through the limiting cage to view the scene. "Egad! A badger lord!"  
  
"Not just yet actually. Whose that?" he said indicating.  
  
A shape silhouetted the moon with a blade held high.  
  
Tehlan shouted. "Watch out!"  
  
Cosleck jumped form his hideaway and swung the pike blade downward. The blade ignited a spark against the dagger, which was still lodged in the twisted fibers of the rope, but otherwise it cut neatly through the rope knot and wedged into the wood. Tehlan grabbed the swinging face of the cage as best she could while being limited by manacles and blocked Cosleck's second blow with it. She grabbed the dagger from the knot and tossed it to Nevin.  
  
"Cut the other hinge, son."  
  
Cosleck thrust through the bars only to find the prongs buried in the wood bars. Tehlan, using this to her advantage, shoved the wall as far forward as it would reach. Luckily at this point Nevin was ready to sever the last fiber of rope. Tehlan surged forward and managed to leave Cosleck's arm slashed to the bone with the opposite blade. He levered the pike and kicked the bottommost edge of the cage wall striking Tehlan in the stomach.  
  
Darab rushed to assist the old hare but stopped at the noise of reinforcements.  
  
"Fall back!"  
  
Rune sent an arrow flying to take a ferret through the leg and began for the camp.  
  
"No! They'll follow. Go that way." Darab commanded, pointing in the opposite direction. "Hey, where are those hares?"  
  
The hares had gone. Deep within the foliage, the pike blade, chewing away at bars slipped between them. Opportunely for Tehlan, Cosleck was stepping on her footpaw with a heavy boot as he thrust. She fell back with a deep cut in her shoulder as Cosleck threw the bars over his shoulder ready to finish her. At this moment, Nevin rushed to the scene and grabbed its handle with both paws.  
  
It was a power struggle between them. Cosleck tried to crush Nevin's paw with his thick leather boot but the hare was in a mad dance. They pulled this way and that until a blade buried itself in a rotting rowan. The metal stuck in the soft wood a refused to move. Cosleck succeeded in crushing Nevin's footpaw. He reared to headbutt Nevin but just as suddenly the rowan released the pike that Nevin had been pulling on for so long. It buried its outward facing blade in the ground and swung with both beasts holding the handle. Had he not been holding it, Corleck probably would have lost his head but he didn't. Instead the blade lodged halfway in. As the blood began seeping down Cosleck's front, Nevin unbound and helped his mother up.  
  
Darab and Rune were waiting for them. The 'reinforcements' were actually the next shift's guards and their number was easily trounced.  
  
"Okay let's g-"  
  
"Dose prisoners are escapin'!"  
  
Darab and Rune looked at each other.  
  
"Rune, cover them as they head back to camp." Darab pointed. "I'll try to lead them away. Run!"  
  
The party scurried into the wood. 


	6. Chapter Six

Tehlan, though injured was still faster than Rune who was, sporadically shooting off arrows at the growing mob. "They're gaining on us!" he yelled at his protectees. He looked ahead. The hares were nowhere to be seen. Hoping to lead the throng off, he veered off to right and doubled his pace.  
  
He reached a shallow brook. Darab exploded from the trees behind with a warcry halfway through his throat. He landed battle ready. "Where are the hares?"  
  
Nevin tried to maintain his mother on one shoulder and hold the cumbersome pike on the other. "Come on, mom. My footpaw hurts as much as yours." They came upon a cold stream. "Come on!" They waded into the stream. "Duck!" A flurry of arrows landed wetly in the opposite bank.  
  
"You mean you lost them?" Darab whispered "Yes, yes!" "We'll find them. Meet back at the wagon. Go!" Energetically they bolted in different directions.  
  
Nevin's head broke the surface. His mother was already on the bank. As she reached for his paw, an arrow flew into her shoulder. She grabbed the arrow and wrenched it out. Nevin assisted her as she rose.  
  
Rune tripped in the mud searching for the hares. He got up and began running again. He had left the bow and quiver in the mud.  
  
One of the mob had broken away from the rest as they'd crossed the river. He was a now pace behind Tehlan. Rapidly she broke away from Nevin's grip and turned with her footpaw angled high in the air. The rat took it full in the face and hit the ground senseless.  
"Run, son!!" She grabbed a fallen rat's saber and slashed forcefully at another. Nevin spiked a fox with the pike and poled him over his head.  
"I'm staying!" He used the middle of the pike handle to hit a rat archer in the teeth and taking him down. A pommel came at him and the day fight went dark. He awoke in and patch of mud. He saw his mother kneeling in front of him pushed to the edge with exhaustion. She dropped the pike in her paw. Then the rat archer one hundred yards behind her, his mouth bleeding, stood and drew and single arrow. He drew back the string as far as it would go and released. "Mom!" The wail seemed to last forever as the arrow flew. Nevin struggled to get up in the dirt. The shaft ran into Tehlan's chest and regret panged across her face as she fell on her side. As Nevin shifted to take action he felt a string. Unthinkingly he reached into the mud and pulled out Darab's bow and quiver. As the rat turned his head, arrow nocked, and the last thing he saw was the tip of an arrow as it plunged into his skull. Nevin dropped the weapon and rushed to his mother's side. "Mum! Are you okay? Please Mum, could you get up? We have to get to Redwall." She took his paw. "Sorry son, you're the messenger now."  
  
Nevin heard the squall advancing quickly and picked up his mother and placed her in the flora. Subsequently he ran as rapidly as he could away from the peril at his back. He turned his head to glimpse his pursuers and inadvertently collided with Rune who was running in a perpendicular direction. "Sorry!" He picked up his pike and dashed to where Rune lay several yards ahead and helped him up. In a brief time they came upon the wagon situated in a small clearing. Nevin tossed his pike in and with Rune gave the rear of the cart a mighty shove. Both leapt in as the cart inched forward and stopped.  
" Great, we're going up a hill. Suddenly the wagon lurched forward. Darab was at the reins straining the wood. A ferret materialized from the trees.  
He was on his back with an arrow in his ribs before he could set paw in the clearing. "What are you waiting for?! Let's go!" "Oh, well that's a good idea isn't it?" Darab grunted sarcastically. Rune and Nevin leapt off to assist by pushing. Slowly but surely the wagon picked up speed. Without warning Darab halted. "What is it?" "We're surrounded," He said, dreading. " No, we're n- ahh, jeez." The army expertly stepped into view. Nevin dived into the cover of the wagon. The archers raised their bows before he could make another move. A rat with a torch was ready beside them to light the oil-soaked rags onto their arrows. "Well," said a refined voice. "What'll you do now?" Rune turned to face Vortigern, an arrow strung and string pulled back as far as it could go. "If there's one last thing I'll do before I die..." Through one eye he glanced at Darab and read his lips. "Hit the torch rat." Horderats stood restlessly waiting for an order to charge. Ripping the foliage, a dagger whirled across the clearing burying itself in the side of a ferret's head. He fell. The archers immediately turned to face the threat. In the split second opening Rune turned and faced the torcher. Flit! The torch fell between the legs of the nearest archer; he jumped and sent his arrow airborne straight up. Before the archers could recover, Rune and Darab leapt into the cover of the cart. Arrows randomly ripped through the cloth cover. Darab kicked the lever that released the brake. 


End file.
